Photoprint machine



May 25,; 1937. c. c. GORDON, JR v PHOTOPRINT MACHINE Filed Sept. 18.1954 Fig.1

CQC GORDONJR INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

BY 3M Patented May 25, 1937 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to an improvement in photo-print machines of atype wherein simplex, duplex and contact or negative reproductions maybe made.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a simple andeconomical apparatus whereby photo-prints may be made of any desiredsubject.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light-proof box incombination with suitable supporting structure for making photo-prints.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light-proof box whichcarries a lens and refiector so that photo-prints may be made in thesimplest manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a photo-print machinewherewith positive and negative copies may be made of the subject.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple and compactapparatus which may be readily installed and operated with a view ofreducing the cost and effort required to obtain a positive or negativephoto-print.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description wherem:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the construction andarrangement of the machine and is taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view looking down on the complete machine andshowing the illuminating members in dotted lines and the transparentareas on the machine where the object and copy are to be positioned.

The device is designed for use in a dark room so that it may beconveniently operated but may be used otherwise with suitableattachments.

The invention may be incorporated in any suitable table, box, orhousing, so long as it provides a light-proof box which is indicatedgenerally at 2. This box may be of any desired configuration but is hereshown as polygonal in order that a convenient arrangement of the severalparts may be had. This box 2 forms a part of the machine generally whichis indicated at 3 and is supported by the legs 4 and 5. The box 2 isclosed by the base 1 and the sides 8 and 9. The outer end is defined bythe wall Ill and the top is closed by the cover l2. Between the end wallI and the cover I2 is an inclined wall I4 which is provided with anopening l5 which carries a transparent material I6 such as glass. Thisis the subject area which is to receive the subject which is to beprinted and is best seen in Fig. 2.

A further flap or closure member 18 is hinged at 19 on this wall l4 sothat the subject may be covered and confined in the exact position toobtain satisfactory prints. This flap [8 also serves to confine thesubject and hold it securely against the transparent or subject area 16and to also 5 confine the light in the box.

Within the light box 2 are a plurality of illuminating elements 20 belowthe subject area it, and another series of illuminating elements 2|above the subject area. In this manner light is diffused evenly over thesubject. The reflectors 22 are provided adjacent each of the sets ofilluminating elements in order to direct the light rays against thesubject so that a suitable print may be had and to also keep a directlight from the lens 28.

The interior of the light box 2 is defined by the upper partition 25 andthe lower partition 26. The lower partition is arranged at an angleparallel to the wall i4 and carries the lens 28. This lens is arrangedat the proper distance from the subject area [6 so that it is focusedupon the exact area. With this arrangement of parts the subject will bepositioned on the subject area 16 and covered with the flap H3. Thelight will be 25 thrown upon this subject and focused in the lens 28.

When it is desired to make a positive print a suitable reflector orprism may be attached to the lens as seen in Fig. 1. A prism has beenshown which is of a type which will reflect the light rays from the lens28 and focus them upon the copy area 32. This copy area 32 is similar tothe subject area and is carried by a part of the box or housing such asthe wall 34. This wall is a 35 continuation of the cover I2 and issupported by the end wall 35 which is supported by the sides 8 and 9previously described.

The top area 32 has the transparent member 36 and the cover or flap 31so that the sensitized paper upon which the copy is to be made can befirmly confined and will be subjected to the light rays from the prism30.

In order to make positive photo-prints of any desired subject thesubject will merely be placed upon the area l6 and sensitized paper onthe area 32. The covers or flaps will be closed to confine the subjectand copy and the light turned on in the box. After a suitable intervalthe copy may be removed and by this simple process a photoprint has beenreproduced.

When a negative photo-print is desired, however, the prisms orreflectors 30 will be removed so that the light rays will pass directlythrough the lens 28 and be received upon the negative copy area 40. Thisarea is similar to the areas i6 and 32 and is provided with transparentportions 4| and the cover or flap 42 which is hinged at 43 so as toconfine the paper upon which the copy is to be made. This area 40 isshown as being closed with the flap 42 in, the position it would be inif a print were being made.

It seems obvious from the foregoing description that a simple andeconomical machine has been provided whereby ordinary contact prints canbe made where the paper on which the copy is to be made and the subjectare both placed on the subject area. The lens is not used with this typeof print. Simplex prints can be made as described for the positive copyand duplex prints obtained by reversing the subject and copy to printboth sides. The actual negatives can be made also as described above.The device is of particular advantage in reproducing letters, legaldocuments, trade circulars and in fact any reproduction desired.

Also, it is apparent that contact prints and positive or negative printscan be made simultaneously, and to do this it may sometimes be necessaryto employ sensitized papers of diiierent relative speeds.

What is claimed is:

1. A photo-print machine of unitary construction including a lens, asubject holder located in front of said lens and designed to receive atized sheet of material for making a contact print if desired, means forilluminating a subject in said holder, a copy holder located in the rearof said lens in a position to receive reflected rays from the subjectdirectly through said lens, a second copy holder disposed inperpendicular relation to said first mentioned copy holder, and aremovable reflector in the rear of said lens for projecting onto saidsecond copy holder the rays leaving said lens, the arrangement providingfor the simultaneous production of a contact print with either apositive or a negative print, or the production separately of either acontact, positive, or negative print.

2. A copying machine of unitary construction comprising a housing formedwith two oppositely disposed parallel sides and with a third sidelocated in perpendicular relation thereto, a partition dividing saidhousing into a closed chamber including one of said parallel sides and acompartment including the other of said parallel sides and said thirdside, illuminating means in said chamber, a subject holder in theaforesaid side which is included in said chamber and a copy holder ineach of the aforesaid other two sides, said holders each comprising atransparent plate and a cover for the outer side of the plate, and saidsubject holder being constructed to receive a sensitized sheet ofmaterial for making a contact print if desired, a lens in said partitionarranged to receive reflected rays from the subject and project themonto the copy holder in the side opposite said subject holder, and aremovable reflector in the rear of said lens for projecting onto saidother copy holder the rays leaving said lens, the arrangement providingfor the simultaneous production of a contact print with either apositive or a negative print, or the production separately of either acontact, positive, or negative print.

3. A copying machine of unitary construction comprising a housing, asubject area and a copy area in said housing disposed at opposite sides01' said housing in parallel relation, a second copy area in saidhousing located in perpendicular relation to said first mentioned areas,a partition dividing said housing into a closed chamber which includessaid subject area and a compartment which includes both of said copyareas, illuminating means in said chamber, a lens in said partition anda removable reflector associated with said lens and adapted to projectthe light passing through the lens upon said second copy area, thearrangement providing for the simultaneous production of a contact printwith either positive or negative print or the production separately ofeither a contact, positive, or negative print.

4. A copying machine of unitary construction comprising a housing formedwith two oppositely disposed parallel sides and with a third sidelocated in perpendicular relation thereto, a partition in parallelrelation to said oppositely disposed sides dividing said housing into aclosed chamber including one of the aforesaid parallel sides and acompartment including the other of said parallel sides and said thirdside, a subject area on the aforesaid side which is included in saidchamber and a copy area on each of the aforesaid other two sides,illuminating means in said chamber, a lens in said partition, and aremovable reflector carried by said lens and adapted to project thelight passing through the lens upon said second copy area, whereby theremay be simultaneous production of a contact print with either a positiveor negative print or the production separately of either contact,positive, or negative print.

CHARLES C. GORDON, JR.

